Systems and methods for multi-protocol arbitration for hearing devices

ABSTRACT

An exemplary hearing device is configured to concurrently maintain a first link with a source and a second link with a second hearing device. The hearing device scans, while not receiving data via the first link, the second link for a preamble of a binaural data packet for a first time period. Based on whether the preamble is detected, the hearing device selectively: receives the binaural data packet and ignores the first link while receiving the binaural data packet if the preamble of the binaural data packet is detected during he first time period; and scans the first link for a preamble of a data packet for a second time period if the preamble of the binaural data packet is not detected during the first time period.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

In some situations, it is desirable for a hearing system that includesfirst and second hearing devices to render (e.g., acoustically present)streaming audio from an audio source (e.g., a Bluetooth-enabledsmartphone or other device) to a user. To this end, the first hearingdevice may establish a wireless link (e.g., a Bluetooth link) with theaudio source and receive audio packets transmitted from the audio sourceover the wireless link in accordance with an acknowledgement-basedtransmission protocol. The acknowledgement-based transmission protocolrequires the first hearing device to acknowledge successful receipt ofan audio packet transmitted by the audio source before the audio sourcetransmits a subsequent audio packet.

For various reasons (e.g., technical limitations, power consumptionconstraints, etc.), it may be impossible or undesirable for the secondhearing device to establish and maintain its own wireless link with theaudio source while a wireless link is maintained between the firsthearing device and the audio source. In these situations, as describedin U.S. Patent Publication 2015/0319557, to facilitate rendering of thestreaming audio by the second hearing device, the first hearing devicemay transmit eavesdropping instructions to the second hearing device byway of a wireless support link that interconnects the hearing devices.The eavesdropping instructions allow the second hearing device toeavesdrop on the wireless link established between the first hearingdevice and the audio source to receive the audio packets while the audiopackets are being transmitted by the audio source over the wirelesslink. The first and second hearing devices may store the audio packetsin respective buffers as the audio packets are received and render theaudio by playing back the audio packets from the buffers. However, audiopackets transmitted by the audio source may not always be receivedcorrectly by both the first hearing device and the second hearingdevice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments and are a partof the specification. The illustrated embodiments are merely examplesand do not limit the scope of the disclosure. Throughout the drawings,identical or similar reference numbers designate identical or similarelements.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration in which a hearing systemis configured to communicate with an audio source by way of aselectively established wireless link according to principles describedherein.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary configuration in which hearing devicesincluded in a hearing system both receive audio packets from the audiosource into buffers according to principles described herein.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary diagram of multi-protocol arbitrationaccording to principles described herein.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary method for multi-protocol arbitrationaccording to principles described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary systems and methods for multi-protocol arbitration by hearingdevices and systems are described herein. For example, a hearing devicemay comprise a memory storing instructions and a processorcommunicatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute theinstructions to concurrently maintain a first link with an audio sourceand a second link with an additional hearing device. The processor mayfurther scan, while not receiving audio data via the first link, thesecond link for a preamble of a binaural data packet for a first timeperiod. The processor may further, based on whether the preamble isdetected, selectively: receive the binaural data packet and ignore thefirst link while receiving the binaural data packet if the preamble ofthe binaural data packet is detected during the first time period, orscan the first link for a preamble of an audio data packet for a secondtime period if the preamble of the binaural data packet is not detectedduring the first time period.

The systems and methods described herein may advantageously provide manybenefits to users of hearing devices. For example, the hearing devicesdescribed herein may provide audio to a user with fewer errors and/ordelays than conventional hearing devices. The hearing devices may alsobe usable in environments with less reliable connectivity to audiosources than conventional hearing devices. For at least these reasons,the systems and methods described herein may advantageously increaseperformance, reliability, and ease of use for hearing device userscompared to conventional hearing devices. These and other benefits ofthe systems and methods described herein will be made apparent herein.

As used herein, the term “audio packet” refers to any sample, portion,or other type of audio data representative of or otherwise associatedwith streaming audio that is provided by an audio source. An audiopacket may be in any suitable format and may be transmitted in anysuitable manner. While examples are described herein with reference toaudio sources and audio packets, the systems and methods may be used byany suitable type of device with any data packet from any suitable typeof data source.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary configuration 100 in which a hearingsystem 102 (e.g., a binaural hearing system) is configured tocommunicate with an audio source 104 by way of a selectively establishedwireless link 106. As shown, hearing system 102 includes a first hearingdevice 108-1 and a second hearing device 108-2 (collectively “hearingdevices 108”). Hearing devices 108 may communicate one with another byway of a wireless support link 110.

Audio source 104 may include any computing device that outputs streamingaudio (e.g., speech, music, or other audio content output) and that iscapable of being wirelessly connected with at least one of hearingdevices 108. For example, audio source 104 may be a mobile device (e.g.,a mobile phone such as a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptopcomputer, a mobile gaming device), a desktop computer, a television, aspeaker, etc. As described herein, audio source 104 may wirelesslytransmit streaming audio to hearing system 102 in the form of sequentialaudio packets (e.g., discrete units or pieces of data representative ofthe streaming audio).

Hearing devices 108 may each be implemented by any type of hearingdevice configured to provide or enhance hearing to a user of hearingsystem 102. For example, hearing devices 108 may each be implemented bya hearing aid configured to apply amplified audio content to a user, asound processor included in a cochlear implant system configured toapply electrical stimulation representative of audio content to a user,a sound processor included in an electro-acoustic stimulation systemconfigured to apply electro-acoustic stimulation to a user, a head-wornheadset, an ear-worn ear-bud or any other suitable hearing prosthesis.In some examples, hearing device 108-1 is of a different type thanhearing device 108-2. For example, hearing device 108-1 may be a hearingaid and hearing device 108-2 may be a sound processor included in acochlear implant system.

As shown, each hearing device 108 includes a processor and a memory. Forexample, hearing device 108-1 includes a processor 112-1 and a memory114-1. Likewise, hearing device 108-2 includes a processor 112-2 and amemory 114-2.

Processors 112 (e.g., processor 112-1 and processor 112-2) areconfigured to perform various processing operations, such as receivingand processing streaming audio transmitted by audio source 104.Processors 112 may each be implemented by any suitable combination ofhardware and software.

Memories 114 (e.g., memory 114-1 and memory 114-2) may be implemented byany suitable type of storage medium and may maintain (e.g., store) datautilized by processors 112. For example, memories 114 may store datarepresentative of an operation program that specifies how each processor112 processes and delivers audio content to a user. To illustrate, ifhearing device 108-1 is a hearing aid, memory 114-1 may maintain datarepresentative of an operation program that specifies an audioamplification scheme (e.g., amplification levels, etc.) used byprocessor 112-1 to deliver acoustic content output by audio source 104to the user. As another example, if hearing device 108-1 is a soundprocessor included in a cochlear implant system, memory 114-1 maymaintain data representative of an operation program that specifies astimulation scheme used by hearing device 108-1 to direct a cochlearimplant to apply electrical stimulation representative of acousticcontent output by audio source 104 to the user. As will be describedbelow, memories 114 may maintain buffers within which audio packetsreceived from audio source 104 may be stored.

Hearing devices 108 may communicate with each other (e.g., bytransmitting data) by way of a wireless support link 110 thatinterconnects hearing devices 108. Wireless support link 110 may includeany suitable wireless communication link as may serve a particularimplementation.

To facilitate communication between hearing system 102 and audio source104, one of hearing devices 108 may establish a wireless link with audiosource 104. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , hearing device 108-1 mayestablish wireless link 106 with audio source 104. Wireless link 106 mayinclude a Bluetooth link (e.g., a Bluetooth classic link or a Bluetoothlow energy link), a near field communication link, or any other suitablepoint-to-point link. To this end, hearing devices 108 and audio source104 may each include a wireless interface configured to operate inaccordance with any suitable wireless communication protocol.

Hearing device 108-1 may receive audio packets transmitted from audiosource 104 over wireless link 106 in accordance with anacknowledgement-based transmission protocol (also referred to as anautomatic repeat query (“ARQ”) protocol). This may allow hearing device108-1 to render (e.g., process and play back) streaming audio from audiosource 104.

The acknowledgement-based transmission protocol requires hearing device108-1 to acknowledge successful receipt of an audio packet transmittedby audio source 104 before audio source 104 transmits a subsequent audiopacket. Exemplary acknowledgement-based transmission protocols includestop-and-wait ARQ, go-back-N ARQ, and selective repeat ARQ. A Bluetoothcommunication protocol, for example, may use any of theseacknowledgement-based transmission protocols.

It may be desirable for hearing device 108-2 to also render streamingaudio from audio source 104 while hearing device 108-1 renders thestreaming audio. However, in some examples, hearing device 108-2 cannotor does not establish its own wireless link with audio source 104 whilehearing device 108-1 is connected with audio source 104 by way ofwireless link 106. For example, the communication protocol used byhearing devices 108 and audio source 104 to establish wireless linkstherebetween may not allow both hearing devices 108 to be concurrentlyconnected to audio source 104.

In these examples, hearing device 108-2 may receive the audio packetstransmitted from audio source 104 by eavesdropping on wireless link 106.This eavesdropping is illustrated by dashed line 116 in FIG. 1 . Hearingdevice 108-2 may eavesdrop on wireless link 106 by passively listeningto (e.g., having access to) data traffic (e.g., audio packets)transmitted between audio source 104 and hearing device 108-1. Theeavesdropping may be done without audio source 104 being aware thathearing device 108-2 is accessing the data traffic and without hearingdevice 108-2 transmitting any data to audio source 104.

To enable eavesdropping by hearing device 108-2 on wireless link 106,hearing device 108-1 may transmit, over wireless support link 110,eavesdropping instructions to hearing device 108-2. The eavesdroppinginstructions may include information (e.g., frequency hopping sequenceinformation, clock frequency and phase offset information, encryptionkey information, address information, etc.) that allows hearing device108-2 to detect audio packets that are wirelessly transmitted from audiosource 104 to hearing device 108-1. Hearing device 108-2 may accordinglyuse the eavesdropping instructions to eavesdrop on wireless link 106.

In this manner, hearing devices 108 may concurrently maintain acommunication link with both audio source 104 (e.g., via wireless link106 or eavesdropping on wireless link 106) and a communication link witheach other (e.g., via wireless support link 110). Hearing device 108-1and hearing device 108-2 may receive audio data from audio source 104according to a first protocol, such as a Bluetooth protocol (e.g., aBluetooth eavesdropping topology). Hearing device 108-1 and hearingdevice 108-2 may receive binaural data from each other according to asecond protocol, such as any suitable binaural protocol. The first andsecond protocols may both use time domain multiplexing. As data may bereceived over one of the two links via one protocol at a time, hearingdevices 108 may use algorithms to arbitrate between protocols on the twolinks. Example algorithms are described herein.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary configuration 200 in which hearingdevices 108 both render streaming audio from audio source 104. As shown,audio source 104 transmits sequential audio packets, which are receivedby both hearing device 108-1 and hearing device 108-2. As described inconnection with FIG. 1 , hearing device 108-1 may receive the audiopackets over wireless link 106 and hearing device 108-2 may receive theaudio packets by eavesdropping on wireless link 106.

As shown, hearing device 108-1 stores the audio packets in a buffer202-1. Likewise, hearing device 108-2 stores the audio packets in abuffer 202-2. Buffer 202-1 and buffer 202-2 (collectively “buffers 202”)may be maintained within memory 114-1 and memory 114-2, respectively,and may each be of any suitable size (e.g., buffers 202 may each storeany suitable number of audio packets).

Hearing devices 108 may render streaming audio from audio source 104 byplaying back audio packets stored within buffers 202. For example,hearing device 108-1 may render streaming audio from audio source 104 byplaying back audio packets stored within buffer 202-1. Likewise, hearingdevice 108-2 may render streaming audio from audio source 104 by playingback audio packets stored within buffer 202-2. In so doing, the audiopackets that are played back may be removed from buffers 202.

Hearing devices 108 may use any suitable processing technique to playback audio packets stored within buffers 202.

Playback of audio packets in buffers 202 may occur while additionalaudio packets are being received and stored within buffers 202. In thismanner, buffers 202 may allow continuous rendering of streaming audiofrom audio source 104 as the audio is generated and transmitted by audiosource 104.

An audio packet may be stored in a buffer (e.g., one of buffers 202) inany suitable manner. For example, a decoded, transcoded, and/ordecompressed version of an audio packet (instead of the audio packetitself) may be stored in a buffer.

In some instances, either hearing device 108-1 or hearing device 108-2may miss (i.e., not receive) an audio packet, resulting in adiscontinuity in received audio packets. Audio packets may be missed forvarious reasons, such as a transmission error, quality of a connectionbetween hearing devices 108 and audio source 104, etc. Additionally,hearing devices 108 may discard audio packets for various reasons (e.g.,an audio packet received with errors, etc.) which may be treated as amissed audio packet. When one of hearing devices 108 (e.g., hearingdevice 108-1) misses (or discards) an audio packet, the other hearingdevice 108 (e.g., hearing device 108-2) may relay the audio packet tohearing device 108-1. Receiving the missed audio packet from hearingdevice 108-2 may be more efficient than requesting a retransmission fromaudio source 104, as wireless support link 110 may be more stable thanwireless link 106. However, as audio packets may be sent by audio source104 asynchronously, it may not be obvious when either of hearing devices108 has missed an audio packet. Hearing devices 108 may not determinethat an audio packet has been missed until a subsequent audio packet ina sequence of audio packets is received. Thus, it may not be obviouswhen either of hearing devices 108 should look to receive audio datafrom the other of hearing devices 108 or from audio source 104.Therefore, an efficient algorithm to arbitrate between receivingbinaural data from the other of hearing devices 108 and receiving audiodata from audio source 104 may not be trivial.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary diagram 300 of multi-protocolarbitration, such as for a hearing device (e.g., hearing device 108-2)arbitrating between a protocol for receiving audio data from an audiosource (e.g., audio source 104) and a protocol for receiving audio froman additional hearing device (e.g., hearing device 108-1). Diagram 300includes a line 302 showing data transmitted and received by audiosource 104. A line 304 shows data transmitted and received by hearingdevice 108-1 and a line 306 shows data transmitted and received byhearing device 108-2.

In this example, hearing device 108-2 may concurrently maintain a firstlink with audio source 104 to receive audio data according to a firstprotocol and a second link with hearing device 108-1 to receive binauraldata according to a second protocol. Audio data received from audiosource 104 may typically include audio packets that are newer in asequence of audio packets, while binaural data received from hearingdevice 108-1 may typically include audio packets being forwarded thathave been missed by hearing device 108-2 and therefore are earlier in asequence of audio packets. Receiving the earlier audio packets may bemore significant to avoid interruptions in audio playback than receivingthe newer audio packets. Binaural data may also include commands fromthe other hearing device, such as commands input by a user on the otherhearing device (e.g., volume control, playback control, sourceselection, etc.). Thus, hearing device 108-2 may prioritize receivingbinaural audio data from hearing device 108-1 over audio data from audiosource 104. However, hearing device 108-2 may also refrain frominterrupting data transmissions from either audio source 104 or hearingdevice 108-1.

As a result, hearing device 108-2 may scan, while not receiving audiodata from audio source 104 via the first link, the second link forwhether hearing device 108-1 has binaural data to transmit. Hearingdevice 108-2 may scan the second link for a first time period for apreamble of a binaural data packet as long as hearing device 108-2 isnot receiving audio data via the first link. If hearing device 108-2detects the preamble of the binaural data packet, hearing device 108-2may receive the binaural data packet. Hearing device 108-2 may ignorethe first link while receiving the binaural data packet to refrain frominterrupting the data transmission from hearing device 108-1.Conversely, if hearing device 108-2 does not detect the preamble of thebinaural data packet during the first time period, hearing device 108-2may switch over to scan the first link for a preamble of an audio datapacket from audio source 104.

For instance, diagram 300 depicts time slots 308 (e.g., time slots 308-1through 308-11) during which hearing devices 108 and audio source 104may transmit and receive data based on time division multiplexedprotocols. Time slots 308 may alternate between master slots, duringwhich audio source 104 may initiate a transmission of data, and slaveslots, during which hearing devices 108 may initiate a transmission ofdata (e.g., acknowledgment messages to audio source 104, binaural datato the other of hearing devices 108, etc.). A block 310 shows hearingdevice 108-2 scanning the second link for a preamble of binaural audiodata from hearing device 108-1 in a time slot 308-1, as hearing device108-2 is not receiving audio data from audio source 104 during time slot308-1. As shown, time slot 308-1 may be a slave slot. The first timeperiod during which hearing device 108-2 scans the second link forbinaural data may be a portion of a slave slot after a length of atypical acknowledgment message and before an end of the slave slot. Byscanning the second link for a length of the first time period, hearingdevice 108-2 may receive binaural data if hearing device 108-1 isattempting to transmit binaural data, but also switch back over toscanning the first link for audio data if hearing device 108-1 does nothave binaural data without missing a time slot for a potentialtransmission from audio source 104.

On scanning the second link at block 310, hearing device 108-2, may notdetect a preamble of a binaural data packet, for instance, if hearingdevice 108-1 does not have a binaural data packet to transmit. Ashearing device 108-2 does not detect a preamble of a binaural datapacket, hearing device 108-2 may scan the first link for a preamble ofan audio packet from audio source 104. Hearing device 108-2 may scan thefirst link for a second time period that may begin after the firstperiod and at an end of time slot 308-1. As described, by scanning thefirst link at the end of time slot 308-1, hearing device 108-2 does notmiss any potential transmissions from audio source 104. As shown in thisinstance, hearing device 108-2 detects a preamble of an audio packetfrom audio source 104 and in response, receives the audio packettransmitted by audio source 104. A block 312 indicates audio source 104transmitting the audio packet. A block 314 indicates hearing device108-1 receiving the audio packet and a block 316 indicates hearingdevice 108-2 receiving the audio packet. As described block 316 (andblock 314) may start at an end of time slot 308-1 so that hearing device108-2 (and hearing device 108-1) may be ready to receive thetransmission by audio source 104 that starts at a time slot 308-2.

Transmitting and receiving the audio packet may span several time slots308. As shown, blocks 312, 314, and 316 span 3 time slots, but audiopackets may also span 5 time slots or any other suitable number of timeslots. While hearing device 108-2 is receiving the audio packet at block316, hearing device 108-2 may refrain from scanning the second link sothat hearing device 108-2 may receive the audio packet withoutinterruption.

Upon receiving the audio packet at block 314, hearing device 108-1 maytransmit an acknowledgment message, shown by a block 318 at a time slot308-5. Audio source 104 may receive the acknowledgment message, shown bya block 320. After a length of time for sending the acknowledgmentmessage, hearing device 108-2 may scan the first link during time slot308-5 for a preamble of a binaural data packet. In this instance,hearing device 108-2 detects the preamble of the binaural data packetthat is transmitted by hearing device 108-1, as shown by a block 322. Inresponse, hearing device 108-2 receives the binaural data packet fromhearing device 108-1, as shown by a block 324. While hearing device108-2 is receiving the binaural data packet, hearing device 108-2 mayignore the first link so that hearing device 108-2 may receive thebinaural data packet without interruption. Thus, while audio source 104starts transmitting an additional audio packet at a time slot 308-6,shown by a block 326, neither hearing device 108-1 nor hearing device108-2 receive the additional audio packet. Rather, hearing device 108-1continues transmitting the binaural data packet (shown by block 322) andhearing device 108-2 continues receiving the binaural data packet (shownby block 324).

After receiving the binaural data packet at a time slot 308-7, hearingdevice 108-2 may transmit an acknowledgment message to hearing device108-1, shown by a block 328. Hearing device 108-1 may receive theacknowledgment message, shown by a block 330. As time slot 308-7 is aslave slot and hearing device 108-2 is not receiving audio data fromaudio source 104 (despite audio source 104 still transmitting theadditional audio packet), hearing device 108-2 may scan the second linkfor a preamble of an additional binaural data packet. As shown, hearingdevice 108-1 may transmit an additional binaural data packet, shown by ablock 332. Thus, hearing device 108-2 may detect the preamble of theadditional binaural data packet, and in response, receive the additionalbinaural data packet via the second link, as shown by a block 334. Inthis manner, a plurality of queued binaural data packets may betransmitted in a burst without switching to the first link.

After receiving the additional binaural data packet at a time slot308-9, hearing device 108-2 may transmit an additional acknowledgmentmessage to hearing device 108-1, shown by a block 336. Hearing device108-1 may receive the additional acknowledgment message, shown by ablock 338. As time slot 308-9 is a slave slot and hearing device 108-2is not receiving audio data from audio source 104, hearing device 108-2may scan the second link for a preamble of another binaural data packet,shown by a block 340. In this case, hearing device 108-1 is nottransmitting another binaural data packet, and therefore hearing device108-2 does not detect a preamble of a binaural data packet. In response,hearing device 108-2 may scan the first link for a preamble of anotheraudio packet, shown by a block 342. Hearing device 108-1 may also scanthe first link for the preamble of another audio packet, shown by ablock 344. However, in this instance, as audio source 104 is nottransmitting an audio packet, hearing devices 108 may wait for a nextslave time slot to repeat the arbitration of multiple protocols.Additionally or alternatively, hearing devices 108 may scan the secondlink periodically, such as every slave time slot, every second slavetime slot, every third slave time slot, etc. Additionally oralternatively, each of hearing devices 108 may take turns scanning thesecond link for binaural data to be received from the other of hearingdevices 108.

In this manner, hearing device 108-2 may arbitrate between protocols byplacing a priority on a protocol from hearing device 108-1 (e.g., abinaural protocol) over a protocol from audio source 104 (e.g., aBluetooth protocol). However, hearing device 108-2 may furtherprioritize receiving data from either protocol, ignoring either protocolif data is being received on the other. Additionally, scanning thebinaural protocol for a specified time period in specified time slotsmay allow hearing device 108-2 to prioritize data received via thebinaural protocol while minimizing missed audio packets via theBluetooth protocol. In this manner, latency for the system may beminimized.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary method 400. One or more of theoperations shown in FIG. 4 may be performed by any of the hearingdevices described herein. While FIG. 4 illustrates exemplary operationsaccording to one embodiment, other embodiments may omit, add to,reorder, and/or modify any of the operations shown in FIG. 4 .

In step 402, a processor of a hearing device concurrently maintains afirst link with an audio source and a second link with an additionalhearing device. Step 402 may be performed in any of the ways describedherein.

In step 404, the processor scans, while not receiving audio data via thefirst link, the second link for a preamble of a binaural data packet fora first time period. Step 404 may be performed in any of the waysdescribed herein.

If the processor detects the preamble of the binaural data packet duringthe first time period, in step 406, the processor receives the binauraldata packet and ignore the first link while receiving the binaural datapacket. Step 406 may be performed in any of the ways described herein.

If the processor does not detect the preamble of the binaural datapacket during the first time period, in step 408, the processor scansthe first link for a preamble of an audio data packet for a second timeperiod. Step 408 may be performed in any of the ways described herein.

In the preceding description, various exemplary embodiments have beendescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however,be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto,and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing fromthe scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. Forexample, certain features of one embodiment described herein may becombined with or substituted for features of another embodimentdescribed herein. The description and drawings are accordingly to beregarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

1. A hearing device comprising: a memory storing instructions; and aprocessor communicatively coupled to the memory and configured toexecute the instructions to: concurrently maintain a first link with asource and a second link with an additional hearing device; scan, whilenot receiving data via the first link, the second link for a preamble ofa binaural data packet for a first time period; and based on whether thepreamble is detected, selectively: receive the binaural data packet andignore the first link while receiving the binaural data packet if thepreamble of the binaural data packet is detected during the first timeperiod, and scan the first link for a preamble of a data packet for asecond time period if the preamble of the binaural data packet is notdetected during the first time period.
 2. The hearing device of claim 1,wherein the additional hearing device is configured to also receive thedata from the source.
 3. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein thebinaural data packet includes a forwarding of a previous data packetreceived from the source.
 4. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein thebinaural data packet includes a command from the additional hearingdevice.
 5. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the first link is aBluetooth link.
 6. The hearing device of claim 5, wherein the additionalhearing device is configured to receive the data via a Bluetootheavesdropping topology.
 7. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein thefirst time period is during a portion of a time slot configured forsending an acknowledgment message from the hearing device to the source.8. The hearing device of claim 7, wherein the portion of the time slotis after a length of the acknowledgment message.
 9. The hearing deviceof claim 7, wherein the second time period starts after the first timeperiod and during the time slot configured for sending theacknowledgment message.
 10. The hearing device of claim 7, wherein thesecond time period ends before an end of the time slot configured forsending the acknowledgment message.
 11. The hearing device of claim 1,wherein: the source is an audio source; the data is audio data; and theprocessor is further configured to execute the instructions to renderaudio represented by the audio data.
 12. A system comprising: a firsthearing device and a second hearing device, the first hearing deviceconfigured to: concurrently maintain a first link with a source and asecond link with the second hearing device; scan, while not receivingdata via the first link, the second link for a preamble of a binauraldata packet for a first time period; and based on whether the preambleis detected, selectively: receive the binaural data packet and ignorethe first link while receiving the binaural data packet if the preambleof the binaural data packet is detected during the first time period,and scan the first link for a preamble of a data packet for a secondtime period if the preamble of the binaural data packet is not detectedduring the first time period.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein thesecond hearing device is configured to: concurrently maintain a thirdlink with the source and the second link with the first hearing device;scan, while not receiving data via the third link, the second link for apreamble of an additional binaural data packet for a third time period;and based on whether the preamble is detected, selectively: receive theadditional binaural data packet and ignore the third link whilereceiving the additional binaural data packet if the preamble of theadditional binaural data packet is detected during the third timeperiod, and scan the third link for a preamble of an additional datapacket for a fourth time period if the preamble of the additionalbinaural data packet is not detected during the third time period. 14.The system of claim 13, wherein: the third time period is a same timeperiod as the first time period; and the fourth time period is a sametime period as the second time period.
 15. The system of claim 12,wherein the binaural data packet includes a forwarding of a previousdata packet received from the source.
 16. The system of claim 12,wherein the binaural data packet includes a command from the secondhearing device.
 17. The system of one claim 12, wherein the first linkis a Bluetooth link.
 18. The system of claim 13, wherein the third linkis a Bluetooth eavesdropping link.
 19. The system of claim 12, whereinthe first time period is during a portion of a time slot configured forsending an acknowledgment message from the hearing device to the source.20-22. (canceled)
 23. A method comprising: concurrently maintaining, bya processor, a first link with a source and a second link with anadditional processor; scanning, by the processor, while not receivingdata via the first link, the second link for a preamble of a binauraldata packet for a first time period; and based on whether the preambleis detected, selectively: receiving, by the processor, the binaural datapacket and ignoring the first link while receiving the binaural datapacket if the preamble of the binaural data packet is detected duringthe first time period, and scanning, by the processor, the first linkfor a preamble of a data packet for a second time period if the preambleof the binaural data packet is not detected during the first timeperiod. 24-32. (canceled)